Says Snake
by Meiousei Dark
Summary: When he was little, Snake didn't have a family, that is, until he rescued a bunch of snakes from a terrible fate. They eventually became his caretakers, and he returned the favor as well. His life may not have always been easy, but the moments he spends in life, even the little ones, are worth a lot to him and his strange family. Snake's coming of age story.
1. Little Snake

Chapter 1: Little Snake

It was a fairly normal day in a small town outside of London. The number of trees there were numerous due to the forest that co-existed next to the small town. The people there were quite happy with their daily lives and continued to live on peacefully.

It was also another normal day at St. Meredith's Orphanage for Boys. It was time again for all the boys to have their recess for the afternoon. Most of them were playing games like tag and a newly invented sport called football, where one kicked a ball past the other team's post. There was however, one boy who wasn't engaging in any of these activities.

There was a small boy with fairly colored, cow licked hair, and skin which looked like that of a snake, sitting isolated underneath a tree, reading a book containing the works of Emily Bronte, a famous writer and poet. Because of the boy's snake-like skin, the other kids often resented him, leaving him by himself and without many friends. He didn't really mind too much because that meant that he could keep on reading. He loved to read, and his list of favorite authors was quite something.

He read works by famous authors such as William Wordsworth, Oscar Wilde, John Keats, and many, many more. The boy was interrupted as he heard the call to come back inside, as recess had already ended. The boy wanted to keep reading, but he knew the adults would come looking for him if he didn't go inside. Reluctantly, he stood and started walking back to the tall, two story brick building.

Since he was so far away, it took him a little while to reach it, resulting in him being the last one inside. The boy saw a woman with a bright smile standing at the door. "Hello Snake, what book do you have today?"

The boy, Snake, didn't answer, but instead turned the book face up so she could see the title. "Wuthering Heights huh? I read that book last year and I love it. It's an amazing book."

Snake only nodded in agreement. "Well, you'd better run along now. It's best not to be late to your English lesson."

Snake nodded and took a few steps inside, then stopped in his tracks. "I-I like it a lot, too."

The woman was startled to hear him speak. When she turned around, Snake was already walking down the hallway. After a few more seconds of shock, she smiled and closed the doors to the building.

* * *

After lessons for the day were finished, Snake headed back into his own room. He wanted nothing more than to get back to his book. Snake slid into his bed and pulled out Wuthering Heights. The story so far had intrigued him and he understood what was going on perfectly. He was better at reading and writing, and his literacy skills were a bit higher than most of the other boys at the orphanage.

Snake sighed. "I wish I could write a story as good as this."

He decided to close the book for now and he put it on his night stand to finish later. He turned to look at the room. He had books everywhere and the rest of it was neat and organized. But there was one thing about it that bothered him. "It's kind of lonely in here."

Usually, there were two boys to a room, but there weren't enough kids for Snake to have his own roommate. He figured it was because no one wanted to be his roommate, that he wound up in a room, all alone. Of course, having his own room did have its advantages. He wouldn't have to engage in any awkward conversation or have to deal with whatever that roommate might throw his way. Even though having a room by himself could be a good thing, Snake still couldn't shake that loneliness he felt, no matter how hard he tried.

His eyes searched until he found his favorite stuffed snake toy, a product of Funtom co., a company that deals in toys and confectionaries. As far as he was concerned, the stuffed snake was his only friend. He stared down at the thing, his mind thinking about his lineage of half human and half snake. He remembered that his father was a normal human man, while his mother was a beautiful snake turned woman, much like in the story Madame White Snake, an old Chinese fable he liked to read every once in a while.

By then, the sky was already pretty dark, and for some reason, Snake decided to get out of bed and take a walk over to his second story window and open the curtains. He couldn't really see anything as it was already too dark to do so. He slumped to the ground and sighed, resting his head on the windowsill. He sighed as he looked up to the sky with those young, curious eyes of his.

In another second, Snake could see a shooting star traveling across the sky. Snake immediately perked up at the sight, and immediately closed his eyes and grasped his hands together, already having a wish in mind. "I wish I didn't have to be so lonely. I-I wish I could have a family of my very own. I don't wanna be lonely anymore."

Snake opened his eyes and looked up to see that the shooting star was already long gone. He stared at the sky a little while longer, apprehensively. "...Please?"

Another minute went by and nothing happened. The sky was still dark and the moon was full and high in the sky. Snake sighed and left the window, closing the curtains behind him. He sat back on his bed and stared at his plush snake. "Well, looks like it's just you and me, Rosaline."

He wrapped the snake tight in his arms and gave it a kiss on the forehead. Of course it didn't respond, being a stuffed animal. Snake smiled just a little. "Do you wanna read Wuthering Heights with me?"

Again, he received no answer, but instead he took the silence as a yes. Snake pulled the book off of his night stand and opened it to the page he was currently on. "All right, let's start here."

Snake began reading aloud and his stuffed snaked had no choice but to sit there and listen, if it could listen that was, but it was good for Snake to have someone to talk to, even if it wasn't alive. The clock ticked, and soon, Snake became so tired that he couldn't even keep holding the book. His eyes closed and he let the book fall on the floor.

Being a kid, he couldn't stay up all night without accidently falling asleep. He still had his stuffed snake, Rosaline, in his arms. He hoped that the shooting star had heard his wish, if they actually granted wishes that is. Snake wasn't really sure if they did or not. Fortunately for him, it had.


	2. Annabel

Chapter 2: Annabel

Snake sat in the back of the one room schoolhouse that belonged strictly to the orphanage. It was a pretty normal day for everyone. The teacher was at the front, teaching an English lesson, while the rest of the boys looked tired and disinterested. Snake had his notebook out as he took notes on the lesson. He was by far the most excellent and well behaved student in the entire class, and he honestly loved to learn.

He looked back up at the teacher who was writing the lesson on the blackboard. He wrote down the notes as the teacher did, wanting to remember everything, because he was most likely going to need it later. Although the rest of the boys in the room looked disinterested, none of them ever really acted out. That was because the punishment for doing so would result in a smack to the wrists with a ruler.

Snake, of course, had never received one, which he considered lucky, because when he watched some of the other boys get their wrists smacked, he could only imagine how bad it would hurt, so he strived to be a good student who never gets into trouble. It wasn't hard for him to become the best student in the class since none of the other boys strived to do any better.

"Now, can any of you tell me who wrote 'The Picture of Dorian Gray?'" The teacher asked.

She looked around the class, but none of the students had their hand raised. "Snake, do you know the answer?"

The boy looked up from his notebook, surprised to have been called on. "O-Oscar Wilde."

The teacher smiled. "Correct. Now, can anyone tell me the year in which Oscar Wilde was born?"

Snake hadn't been called on for the rest of that afternoon, which he found relieving. He already had a hard enough time making friends because he was half snake, so he didn't need to be known as a teacher's pet on top of it. The lesson soon ended and the boys were excused for the day. Snake could not wait to receive some piece and quiet, and be alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Recess had barely begun and Snake had already found his designated reading place near the trees. He opened his chosen book and began to read, planning to lose himself in the book until recess ended. The book was interesting enough to cause Snake to become completely oblivious to his surroundings. he failed to notice the activity stirring behind him.

A snake was crawling on the ground, hunting for prey, when it noticed Snake and suddenly felt drawn to the boy. The snake, which had a black back and a brown belly, quietly slithered over to him. The snake could see scales on his face and hands, causing the snake to wonder.

"Is he really half snake?" The snake asked in a feminine sounding voice.

Snake's thoughts were immediately snapped out of the book and he quickly turned to locate the source of the voice. It sounded so close, but in the end, he couldn't find who the voice might belong to. He figured it was just his imagination, so he turned back to his book, determined to get a significant amount of reading done before recess ended.

The snake kept its head low the entire time, so it wasn't spotted. The snake quietly slivered over to a nearby tree on Snake's right and started climbing. It slithered up the tree without stirring the slightest reaction in the boy below. The snake continued to eye Snake and it seemed that the snake in the tree couldn't believe what it was seeing. "Is it really possible?"

Snake was thrown out of the book once more as he turned to the tree in the direction from where the voice came. He could only see a snake looking down at him, but could not determine the source of the voice. Finally, the snake sighed. "I am the one who spoke and it is me you are looking for."

Snake's eyes widened in shock. "Y-Y-You can talk?"

The snake was worried that it was making Snake uncomfortable. "Please, child, I mean you no harm, and as for why I can talk, It's not necessarily me being able to speak to humans, It's that you are able to understand me."

Snake blinked in shock and confusion. "What?"

The snake slithered down the tree, and once it reached the ground, the snake lifted it's head, revealing it's hood. Snake's shocked eyes were suddenly filled with curiosity. "You're a Cobra? I've heard about them, but I've never seen one in person before."

The snake nodded. "Yes, I am an Egyptian Cobra. I came here on a ship from a British Trading Company."

A thought suddenly occurred to Snake. "Isn't it illegal to transport poisonous snakes?"

"Well, yes, but I was smuggled on bored when I was young. Although I was put with a human who cared for me greatly."

"Do you have a name?" Snake asked.

The snake nodded. "Yes. The one who previously cared for me called me Annabel. He said he chose the name from a poem called Annabel Lee."

Snake's eyes widened as he recognized the name of the poem. "Your caretaker must have read a lot of books. I like to read Edgar Allen Poe's poems too."

"Do you now?" Just then, a thought occurred to Annabel. "Oh, I apologize for not asking this earlier. What is your name, child?"

"Oh, my name is Snake."

"Snake." Annabel repeated. "Do your parent's know where you are?"

Snake frowned and lowered his head a little. "I-I don't have parents anymore."

Annabel's eyes widened and she lowered her head as well. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Snake got closer and started stroking the snake. "It's alright. You know, I like you. I think we could become good friends."

Annabel looked up at him and smiled. "I feel the same way."

All of a sudden, the bell that ended recess rang in the distance. As much as Snake wanted to continue talking to his newfound friend, he knew he had to go back. "Sorry Annabel, but I have to go now. Do you think that you might be able to meet me here tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Of course. We're friends after all."

Snake smiled wide for the first time in a long time. "Okay, bye Annabel. I'll see you tomorrow."

The snake smiled and chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow as well."


	3. Snake Eggs

Chapter 3: Snake Eggs

As the next day went on as normal, that wonderful time known as recess finally came. Snake headed out to his designated reading place, but this time, he didn't have a book with him. He figured that he wouldn't be getting any reading done anyway. He approached and sat down up against the tree. "Annabel, are you here?" He asked.

A few seconds later, a rustling sound was heard in the bushes. Annabel appeared and lifted her head, revealing her hood. "Yes, dear Snake, I am here."

Snake smiled wide and held out his hand for her to rub her head against. "I have so much I want to talk about, like, how come I'm the only one that can hear you speak? Are you special, or can I talk to all snakes like this?"

Annabel found herself chuckling at how eager the young boy seemed. "I don't know. This is my first time ever meeting someone like you."

Snake thought for a second. "Does that mean I'm unique?"

Annabel laughed. "Of course you are."

Snake shifted his eyes away a bit nervously. "Yeah, I'm not like everybody else."

Annabel frowned at detecting the hint of sadness in his voice. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody has something that makes them different from everyone else. That's what makes everybody unique."

Snake frowned. "But, nobody wants to be my friend because I'm different. I-Is there something wrong with me?"

Annabel felt her heart breaking. "No dear, of course not. There is nothing wrong with you at all. You're perfect just the way you are, and if they don't like you for what you are instead of who you are, then that means that there is something wrong with them, not you."

Snake lowered his head until he was eye level with the cobra. "You really think so?"

Annabel smiled and rubbed her head on Snake's cheek. "Of course I do. You're special, dear Snake, and don't ever forget it."

Snake's expression turned back into a wide smile. "Now if you would come with me real quick, there is something I would like to show you."

Snake blinked. "Are you sure? They might notice if I'm gone for too long."

"It'll just be real quick, I promise."

Snake looked back at the school one last time. "Okay, but the bell might ring any minute, so we have to hurry."

Snake followed Annabel into the forest, making sure that no one saw him enter from far away. "Where are we going?" Snake asked.

"You'll see." Was the answer he was given.

The two of them kept on walking for a little while longer, until they came upon a clearing in the forest. In the middle of the clearing, snake saw a large nest, filled with eggs. "Come here Snake, and let me show you my nest."

Snake got closer and observed that there were more than quite a few eggs in the nest. There seemed to be tons. "Whoa, are they all yours?"

Annabel crawled around the edge of the nest. "I didn't lay them myself. After I was released into the wild, I decided that it would be a good idea to take care of newborn snakes and snake eggs that had come here from other parts of the world."

"So they all come from different countries?"

Annabel nodded. "Yes, and they come from different breeds as well."

She lifted her head and turned to a nearby tree. "There are those who have already hatched however, and came to Great Britain outside of their own eggs."

She slithered over to the tree and stuck her snout inside a small hole that led inside the tree. Once she pulled out of the hole, a bunch of little snakes came out. "Come and meet the little ones, dear Snake."

The boy in question walked over and sat down, where he admired the little snakes. It didn't seem like he could communicate with them, but that could have just been because they weren't old enough to begin communicating. Annabel silently coaxed them to crawl up Snake's hand, which they ended up doing. "Hi there, how are you?"

The snakelets all seemed to take a liking to him, as they started rubbing up against him. He laughed as all that rubbing tickled him. "I can't believe you take care off all these snakes by yourself."

Annabel smiled. "I wanted to give them a chance to live, instead of being made into expesive snake skin products, like they were originally going to be used for."

Snake's demeanor suddenly changed, and he froze. "...What?"

Annabel sighed. "Their skin was going to be used by poachers to make expensive purses and belts for those who could afford it. I snuck them away when no one was looking, in order save them from that fate and give them a life to live."

"T-That's so sad. Why would people do that?"

Annabel sighed again. "I don't know. It's not even limited to snakes. All different kinds of animals are being used for purposes such as that."

Suddenly, Snake's eyes shifted to the ground. "I have snake skin. Do you think they'll do that to me?"

Annabel shook her head. "I honestly wouldn't think so. You may be half snake, but you are half human as well."

Snake's eyes shifted to the snakelets. "I hope you guys don't have to go through anything like that. You're all too cute for it."

Annabel couldn't help but chuckle at that last comment. "You are too, if you haven't noticed."

Snake smiled, then scoffed. "I'm not that cute."

Annabel nodded. "Oh yes you are. Anybody can see it, really."

Snake smiled. Just then, the sound of the bell reverberating in the distance caught Snake's attention. "Oh, I'd better go. I wouldn't want the teachers to come looking for me."

Annabel smiled. "Alright, we will see you later. You may come back tomorrow if you wish."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Snake left the forest and headed back to the orphanage. Annabel coaxed her little ones, silently telling them that they would see him again, and that they should go back inside the tree for the time being.


	4. Making Life A Little Better

Chapter 4: Making Life A Little Better

Snake had come upon the clearing in the middle of the forest once again, as he had been doing for a few days now. Annabel was always there, waiting for him, along with the little snakelets who seemed to take a real liking to him. He loved coming over there and petting the snakes, and talking to Annabel, his best friend. Who knew he could have a lot in common with a bunch of snakes.

They had treated him better than most humans had, and he was incredibly grateful for it. The baby snakes crawled around in Snake's hands, tickling him a little. Snake laughed and Annabel smiled, glad that he was having fun. "They seem to really like you." She commented.

Snake smiled. "I've been reading a book about snakes, so I might be able to guess their breeds."

He looked at the snakes in observation. "Let's see, this one is a Coral Snake and this one is a Golden Lancehead Viper."

Annabel listened as Snake went on about their different breeds and where they were from. Snake really was well read, she figured. "And this one here is a Japanese Green Rat Snake all the way from Japan. That's all of them, I think."

Annabel smiled. "It's interesting how much you know. You really must read a lot."

Snake nodded. "I read when I can, mostly in my room after school, but sometimes we read in class, though I'm usually the only one doing any reading."

"You must be the smartest kid in your class, then."

Snake scoffed. "Well, I wouldn't say the _smartest_ , but I do well in class."

"I'm sure your teachers must be proud."

One of the snakelets, consisting of all green scales, lifted it's head. "S-Sna-sna."

Snake and Annabel's attention was captured at this. The baby snakes had finally begun learning how to speak. The one with the red scales and back and yellow bands started speaking as well. "Sna-sna-ke."

"I think they're trying to say your name." Annabel noted.

Suddenly, the rest of the baby snakes decided to join in. They kept trying to wrap their tongues around it and pronounce it correctly. "Sna-Sna-Snake."

Snake gasped. "The baby snake said my name."

And soon after, all of the other snakelets joined in and started saying his name over and over. It was a jumbled mix of the same word, but Snake was happier that he had been in a long time. "I can't believe they're saying my name!" Snake commented.

"Snakes start communicating with one another at a very young age, so it would make sense that they would be able to communicate with you."

The baby snakes slithered around, repeating their unanimous first word, and in that moment, Snake couldn't have been happier.

* * *

The next day, Snake came back, ready to play with the baby snakes some more. The snakelets seemed incredibly happy to see him as well. "So Annabel, what will happen once the baby snakes are grown up?"

The snake in question slithered over to the tree. "When they're older, they'll be released into the wild. I'm only making sure they have everything they need before then."

Snake watched as the little snakelets started crawling out of the hole. "I've been thinking of names for them."

Annabel raised her head. "What names were you thinking of?"

"Well, I was thinking about names of famous authors and characters. Like, how about Dorian Gray? Or Oscar Wilde? Or Faust?"

"Those aren't bad ideas. You might be able to name them all if you come up with enough names."

"Okay! I can come up with some!"

"What's my name?" One of the snakelets asked.

And after that one question, the others began to partake in asking that very same question. It seemed that they all wanted a name, so what was Snake to do, other than give out names to each and every one of them? "Hang on guys, I can't think of names for you all at once."

"But we want one. Can we have one, please?"

Snake had to admit that these baby snakes were already pretty smart. They learned how to say words merely from hearing Snake and Annabel speak to them. When they got older, Snake would be willing to do all that he could to protect them, and made sure that they lived as long as they could. "Alright, I'll give you some names as soon as I can think of some really good ones. Okay?"

The baby snakes all slithered around. "Okay!"

Snake watched as the baby snakes slithered around in his hands, repeating the fact that they would soon get a name in an excited manner.

* * *

The next day, recess had just begun, and Snake was heading off in the direction of the forest. However, each day he did, he aroused the suspicion of the teacher who had watched the students during recess. A woman with long brown hair was standing on the school porch, watching the children from afar, when she noticed that Snake was the last to leave the building. She put on a smile.

"Hello Snake, are you going to go read again?" She asked.

Snake was silent for a moment as he looked over to the forest. "N-No." He stuttered.

The teacher was curious at this. "Really? You always go out there to read. What could you possibly be doing other than that?"

Snake was determined to keep his secret, no matter what. "I-I just think...the forest is pretty."

The teacher blinked. "O-Okay then, just don't wander too far."

Snake looked back at the woman, but said nothing more. He walked off over to the resting place for Annabel and her baby snakes, but as he was walkin, the teacher just could not help but wonder what he found so fascinating in that forest. It was an absolute mystery, but then again, so was Snake. She didn't know what happened to make the boy so quiet and secretive, but deep down, she had a feeling that being half-snake had something to do with it.

As a teacher, it was her job to be kind to all the students, so she had no problem with being kind to Snake, but she still didn't understand him very well. She could see Snake entering the forest from far away, hoping he'd stay safe. For some reason, which she wasn't aware of, she felt that Snake would be just fine. It would only be a matter of time before he got adopted by a wonderful, loving family.


End file.
